10 Pro Wrestlers Who Could Have Been Stars In The UFC

In recent years, we have seen a number of high-profile mixed martial artists who have decided to enter the world of professional wrestling. Recent examples include stars like Ronda Rousey, Matt Riddle, and Shayna Baszler.

Conversely, we have also see WWE stars who have ended up signing with major MMA promotions, like the UFC and Bellator MMA. Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, and Jack Swagger are all notable stars who decided to step into the cage.

There is clearly a good bit of crossover between pro wrestling and MMA in terms of both participants and even their respective fan bases. However, when it comes to athletes changing occupations, more often than not, the discussion tends to center around UFC fighters who could (or should) sign with WWE.

To help even things out a bit, we are going to take a look at ten WWE Superstars who would have, could have, and in some cases, probably should have gone the MMA route.

Just for fun, let's throw in a few names from the past who may have had a shot at capturing UFC gold if the promotion existed in their heyday.

Wade Barrett is one of the most legitimate tough guys to ever set foot in a WWE ring.

The 6'7" Lancashire native made a name for himself in the often brutal sport of bare-knuckle boxing in his early 20s. He also survived a stabbing and even beat down the assailant.

At 39 years of age, it's probably a bit late for Barrett to begin a career as a professional mixed martial artist. That being said, in his prime, Barrett would have likely been a handful to deal with in the cage.

At 6'7", assuming he has even an average reach for a man that size, the former King of the Ring would have had some noteworthy physical advantages over most heavyweights. When you also consider his boxing background, it's easy to see the potential a young Wade Barrett would have had.

If he added some decent grappling and/or solid takedown defense to his arsenal, it would have been bad news for his would-be opponents.